The Dragon's Heart, And The Broken Rose RWBY Part Three
by AlucardJenkins
Summary: This story is my take on how Summer Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long began their relationship. Commissioned By: canonseeker 'Eren N.'* I hope this turns out to be the story you are hoping for.


~The Dragon's Heart, And The Broken Rose~

By: AlucardJenkins ~Devin V.

Part Three: The Perfect Secret Keeper.

Midday is starting to set in, Summer looks out the window of Yangs bedroom to see many birds flocking into Taiyangs small garden. She looks on with a small smile forming, beginning to get lost in deep thought while watching the birds. Beginning to think of simpler times, practically visualizing her past. Her time at Beacon as a student, her teammates and their many adventures, not to mention all the trouble they used to get into, she thought.

"I hope Tai's class is going well." She said softly to herself.

Only to be startled half to death by a small 'crash' of breaking glass behind her! She jolts herself around to see Yang standing next to the end table, and her glass of milk she poured for herself broken on the hardwood floor. She noticed milk splattered all over the floor, and unfortunately, most of it on her boots she decided to take off. Glass shards can be seen glistening in the milk puddle on the floor. Summer rushes over to Yang before she decided to try and walk on any shards. She scooped up yang, trying not to slip on the milk puddle, and step on any shards herself. She felt the milk she just stepped in start to seep into her socks, the cold feeling from it not feeling to pleasant for her. She eases herself over to Yangs Crib and puts her in it. Yang expresses much displeasure by whining, clearly not happy about being back in her crib.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry little one!" Summer repeats, in a small panic, Trying to calm down Yang.

She rushes over to the end table again, grabbing a cloth folded up on it from a small stack of them. She quickly laid it over the milk puddle before it spreads. Bending down, she tries to wipe some of it up, only too prick her palm with a glass shard she didn't notice.

"OW!" She yells out, grunting in small pain. She looks at her palm, not noticing any broken skin.

After containing the spill a bit, she grabs another cloth and starts to walk back over to Yang. Almost slipping on the dry part of the floor. She regains her balance, almost comically, then stops to lift a leg to pull a wet sock off, followed by the other. She tosses them, rolled up into a ball each, next to her milk soaked boots. She shivers from the feeling of the cold floor on her bare feet. Bending down, she wipes her damp feet dry with the cloth. She Lets out a deep stressful sigh while doing so.

"This is what you get for turning your back on a toddler Summer." She says to herself out loud.

She proceeds to walk over to Yang, still whining about being trapped in her crib again. Summer starts to wipe Yang's feet off with the same cloth she used, as well as rubbing her hand over the bed of the crib to see if it was damp as well.

"Luckily your crib is fine, I should have wiped you down first though. Then again, I don't need you hurting your little feet on glass." She says to her. Yang laughs a bit as Summer wipes her feet.

"Oh, does that tickle? That's good to know." Summer says to Yang teasingly.

Summer finishes wiping Yangs feet off, and throws the cloth on top of the one on the milk puddle. She walks over to a small toy box next to Yangs crib, and pulls out a stuffed Beowolf plush. She stares at it in slight confusion. The usually fierce looking grimm, looked almost cute.

"How is this even a thing?" She says. She notices Yang eyeing the plush from the crib, starting to show a bit of excitement. She shrugs the thought off, and hands it to Yang.

Yang sat herself down in the crib with the plush, beginning to bounce it around in circles around herself, trying to make it look like its walking. Summer gives a small smile in her direction.

"She is too cute." She says to herself, watching Yang for a moment.

Summer peers her glance to the soaking milk puddle, and scattered glass shards on the floor. As well as her boots. Milk can be seen dripping off the length of them, adding to the soaking puddle. She shivers some more at the cold feeling of the floor on her feet.

She makes her way back over to the puddle, bending down to wipe it up some more. Motioning the cloth to sweep up the glass shards as well. She picks it up gently, trying to not prick her hand again, then throws both cloths into a trash barrel next to Yangs changing table.

"Looks like I owe Tai new wash cloths." she says to herself.

Bending down again near the spot of the puddle, she runs her hand gently over the floor feeling for any more glass shards.

"Seems like I got them all." She says with a small sigh.

"Now, for the fun part." She says peering over to her boots.

She grabs both boots, feeling how wet they really are. She sticks a hand in each opening of them, feeling that the inside had gotten wet from the milk too.

"Just as I feared." she says softly to herself.

She grabs her wet socks as well, then stands back up. She grabs another clean cloth from the end table and places it on the spot were her boots were to soak up a bit more milk that formed under them.

"I'll be right back sweetheart." She says to Yang, who pays no mind to Summer as she plays with her plush.

Summer walks out of the bedroom, holding her boots and socks, then makes her way down the stairs. She is clearly trying to hurry, doing so causes her to stub a toe on a leg of the couch as she passes by it. She immediately collapses herself into a crouching position, dropping her boots and socks to the ground too, thriving in pain. Her mind wants her to scream out in sheer pain, but she just grabs onto her throbbing toe, rubbing it to sooth the pain.

"Summer, WHAT is with you today!?" She softly yells out to herself. She composes, grabs the boots and socks once again, and stands back up.

Finally, she begins to make her way back into the kitchen. As she walks, she slightly squints in pain when she puts pressure on the toe she just stubbed, causing her to limp a bit.

"Ow, that really felt like I just cut my own toe off." She says, entering the kitchen.

She makes her way to the sink, turning the water on. Placing her boots on the floor next to where she stands, she decides to rinse her socks out in the water first, wringing them out after awhile. She folds them in half and to place them over the side of the counter. She bends to pick up a single boot, and begins to rinse that off as well.

"Luckily these are leather and easy to clean." she says, before doing the same with the next boot.

She places both boots back on the floor. She starts to open many counter drawers and cabinets searching for a spare cloth to wipe down the inside of her boots, but has no luck. She lets out a small sigh, and leaves the kitchen. She makes a better effort to avoid getting too close to the couch this time, then makes her way up the stairs again.

Peeking in on Yang quickly, Summer notices she is still playing with her plush soundly, with her back turned away from the doorway. She tiptoes slowly, only slightly feeling the pain from her hurt toe now, back into her room. After making it back over to the end table, she grabs another clean cloth while also throwing out the other soaking one, and throwing it out. She tiptoes back out of the room again, letting out a sigh of relief that Yang didn't notice her presence. After taking one last peek at Yang, and giving a small smile in her direction, she made her way down the stairs again.

She Hurries back into the kitchen, walking back over to her boots, she kneels down onto her knees and starts to wipe down the inside of her boots. Letting out a stressful sigh as she wipes the insides, she feels the inside of them.

"Not perfect, but it will have to do." She says with a sigh, grabbing her boots and standing back up.

She makes her way to the back door, opening it. Then placing the boots outside by the door.

"Oh! The socks!" She remembered.

Leaving the door open, she walks over to the counter quickly. Grabbing her socks, she turns to make her way back to the open door. Only to see a figure standing in the doorway. Summer quickly reacts in a startled manner, jumping up and spinning around to heel kick the figure in the face, sending them flying back out the door. When she lands on her feet, she hurries back to the doorway, ready to fight. Only to notice she made an error in her quick judgement.

"Oh my goodness! Qrow!?" she says, quickly throwing the socks next to her boots, then rushing to his side as he lay there on the ground. She kneels down by his side, placing a hand on his left cheek were she kicked him.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" She asked quickly. She helps Qrow sit up a bit, he looks a bit dazed from the kick.

"O-ow, geez Summer, you really enjoy kicking your old teammates huh?" He jokes.

Summer rolls her eyes and stands back up.

"Hmph, your sister is next." She pauses

"Have you ever heard of the front door, or knocking even? You scared me half to death!" she jokes back. Qrow looks up to her, nodding at her comment back.

"Raven deserves more than that, I admit. I was actually waiting around for awhile, I wasn't sure if anyone was here, but then I saw the back door open." Qrow jokes again.

"And you chose the back door because?" She asked, confused.

"The direction I was coming from, what else would be the reason?" he answered.

Summer ignores his question and lends out a hand to help him up. He obliges and reaches out his own to be helped.

"What are you really doing here Qrow? Come to visit your niece for once?" She asks, crossing her arms in an angry manner. Qrow brushes himself off.

"I'm around enough, I came to see Tai though, is he here?" Qrow asked.

"No, he has his evaluation at Signal today. Surprised you didn't know that already." She said back.

Qrow reaches for a flask thats fastened to his hip. Summer rolls her eyes again and watches as he takes a long sip from it.

"No, I knew of it, just forgot it was today." He says back in a rustled voice after he took his sip.

Summer motions in place a bit, the grass beginning to bother her bare feet.

"Let's talk more inside if you have a moment, not to mention I can't hear Yang from out here if she cries." She says. Starting to walk towards the door, she bends down to lay her socks over the side of her boots to let them dry properly.

"Shall I even ask?" Qrow asked her, walking toward the door as well.

"Spilt milk, followed by more unfortunate events." she says standing back up. Qrow motions his hand politely.

"After you, skirt." he says sarcastically.

Summer Punches him in the shoulder before walking inside.

"Don't call me that, perv." She says softly, entering first, Qrow follows slowly behind rubbing his shoulder.

Qrow makes his way over to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair to sit. Summer makes her way past him over to the sink, reaching up to a cabinet to grab a glass. She turns on the sink to pour herself some water. She takes a quick sip, then puts it down on the counter. She starts to turn in Qrows direction.

"I assume you don't want any water-HEY!" She yells out quickly.

"What do you think, does it suit me?" Qrow says with Summers white hood draped over his head.

Summer rushes over to snatch her hood off of him.

"Give me that!" she yells softly, swinging it around to put it on herself. Qrow lets out a small laugh.

"I have to admit, it's a rarity not seeing you without that thing. You practically slept with it during our school years." He says.

"You kept trying to steal it from me!" she yells back to him, holding onto some of her hood defensively. She lets out a sigh, and starts to walk out of the kitchen.

"Try to behave, I'm going to check on Yang quickly." She says, clenching her hood closely to her body as she walks out.

"Yeah, yeah sure thing." Qrow says, sipping his flask again.

Summer makes her way up the stairs quickly, but quietly, trying to avoid having the stairs make a sound with each step. As she gets to the top, she walks slowly to Yangs room, peeking into the doorway. Yang has fallen asleep, laying on her side, and holding her plush close to her. Summer can't help but smile at the sight. She makes her way into the room slowly, tiptoeing up to the crib. She reaches in to run her hand gently through Yangs hair.

"Have a nice little nap sweetie." Summer whispers to her. She leans into the crib by her toes, to give Yang a kiss on the forehead.

After she slowly makes her way out of the bedroom, Summer looks towards Taiyangs bedroom, the door shut. She glances down to her bare feet.

"Hm… I wonder if Tai has slippers I can use." she says to herself. She starts to walk toward his door, but pauses when she reaches for the handle.

"I-I Just realized... I've never even seen his bedroom before." She says to herself in a small panic. A small blush starts to form on her cheeks.

"Ma-Maybe I shouldn't, I'd be invading his personal space." She says softly, shivering slightly.

"Ohhhh, but my feet are freezing!" She says again to herself. She took a deep breath.

"Okay Summer, i-it's no big deal… Just, Tai's bedroom." She says to herself, panicking a bit more. She musters up the courage and quickly opens the door.

She sees a twin size bed, a small end table on each side, and a long dresser with a mirror across from the bed. To her surprise, the bed was made, and the room was clean, very clean.

"I half expected a mess. I was always the one cleaning up the dorm after all." She said softly.

She looks around as she walks in slowly, seeing what looks like school related paperwork on his dresser, and some folded up clothes on his bed. Some of them belonging to him and the rest, Yang. She looks on each side of the bed for slippers. On the left side, she sees what appears to be just that, but tucked deep under the bed. She gets on her knees and crawls down low, practically laying down, to reach under the bed. After a brief effort, she retrieves the slippers. She starts to get back up, placing a hand on the bed for support. Her hand slides slightly down, under the pillow resting flat on the bed, causing her to feel something under it.

"Oh? What's this?" she says, pulling it out from under the pillow. Revealing a picture frame, upside down. She flips it.

"Oh I remember this!" she says to herself excitedly.

She gets up fully, but decides to sit on the edge of Tai's bed to look at the picture. It's a picture of the four of them, team STRQ in their glory. Looking at herself, she chuckles a bit, seeing how she is practically hiding behind her hood while leaning against a tree. 'Not much has changed' she thought. Taiyang, leaning against the same tree, his arms crossed and looking confident. Summer smiled while looking, a small blush forming on her cheeks again. Peering her stare to Qrow, she laughs out loud slightly.

"Hasn't changed a bit." she says, looking at his overly serious stare.

As much as she tries not to however, her eyes peered over to 'Her'.

"Raven…" Summer says, grasping the picture tightly. She looks right into Raven's bright red eyes. Her smile in the picture almost making Summer angrier the longer she stares.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long." A voice from the doorway said.

Summer jumped up so quickly from being startled, she slid off the bed, and onto her rear, hard, dropping the picture on the bed.

"By the gods, Qrow! Stop scaring me half to death will you!" she yells at him from the floor.

"What are you doing up here?" she asks, standing back up. She brushes herself off, fixes her dress and hood. She notices the picture in plain sight, then quickly sits down on top of it, crossing her legs in slight anger.

"I should be asking you that." Qrow says, leaning against the doorframe.

"I-I came in here for slippers, my feet were cold." She said back.

Qrow looks at her crossed legs.

"Uh-huh, unless my eyes are going bad, I don't see any slippers on your feet." He asked

Summer looks down quickly, seeing the slippers on the ground, slightly out of Qrows sight. She uncrosses her legs to put her foot down, sliding her feet into a slipper each. She crosses her legs again.

"See, Slippers." She says jokingly shaking a foot at him.

"I see…" Qrow pauses, giving her a blank stare.

Summer tries to look away but started to blush in embarrassment, trying to hide her face with her hood. Knowing she has been caught red handed, she lifts up her rear slightly to pull the picture out from under her. She lets out a small sigh.

"I found this under Tai's pillow, it's a picture of the four of us, I actually never had a copy of it." She says, turning it slightly to show him. He took a quick look at it.

"That wasn't too long ago. If I'm not mistaken, Raven was close to being pregnant at that point." he says. Summer becomes silent, looking back at the picture.

"Can I ask you something Summer?" Qrow said abruptly. She looks up toward his direction, giving a small nod.

"How long?" he asked. Summer looked at him with slight confusion. She expected something more.

"How… long what?" She asked back.

"You have made yourself very available for Taiyang, even with all the missions you need to complete... Yes, I know of them… So I will ask again Summer, how long?" He says staring blankly at her still. She refuses to make eye contact with him.

Summer looks at the photo some more, looking right into Taiyangs eyes. She lets out a small smile, followed by a single tear running down her cheek. She hoped Qrow didn't notice.

"Your sister, hurt him more than he will ever admit. He carries himself with so much pride, passion, and integrity. Knowing that he has too, for Yang. He put off his own goals and dreams to be there for his daughter. The least I can do, as the former team leader and friend, is be there for him. Help him raise that beautiful little girl the best I can." She says looking at the picture still. Qrow shakes his head, and takes a sip from his flask.

"That's all very touching skirt, but you still haven't answered my question." He said. Summer shoves the picture back under a pillow, and stands up in slight anger, now looking at him.

"What do you want me to say Qrow!?" Summer yells. He takes another sip of his flask.

"I want you to stop lying to yourself Summer. Do yourself a favor before it's too late." He says. Summer lets out a small sigh, and looks away from him again.

"Look, Summer, I need to leave." Qrow starts.

"I was going to tell Tai this, but I'm not sure when I will be around next." He pauses, taking yet another sip from his flask.

"What?" She says reluctantly, looking at him again.

"I know where Raven is." He starts.

"Only, finding her is the problem. She went back to the tribe, that much I know." he says.

Summer looks away, more anger starting to set in.

"Does Tai want to find her?" she asks, looking back up at him.

"He wants answers." He says.

"But, I'm sure he has come to accept this current outcome." He says again.

"Your sister is cruel for doing what she did Qrow. I swear, if you knew about this!" She threatens, walking over to him quickly to point a finger into his face angrily. Qrow puts his hands up in protest.

"Hey, I know my sister has her ways, believe me. I wish I knew beforehand so I could have at least tried to stop her... Not that it would have mattered... When Raven has her mind set on something, you can't change it Summer." He says.

"She set her mind to abandon her Daughter? That's real admirable." Summer says. She forces her way past Qrow, out of the room. Walking over to Yangs doorway to peek in on her. Yang is still sleeping soundly, Summer can't help but smile when she looks at her. Qrow peers over Summers head to peek in as well. He lets out a small laugh before making his way down the stairs.

"Enjoy this while you can." He starts.

"I do need to be on my way though." he says. Summer lets out a sigh.

"I'll see you out." She says, following him down the stairs.

Qrow opens the front door and steps out, Summer holds onto it as Qrow turns to face her again from the entryway.

"You know, you still haven't answered my question." Qrow started. Summer looks away slightly, almost trying to hide in her hood.

"So, I'll ask one more time, but I'll add to it a bit… How Long, are you going to keep up this Charade?" He asks.

Summer looks away more, refusing to answer his question. He lets out a drawn out sigh.

"Fine, have it your way skirt." He says before starting to walk away down the path. Summer looked up at him quickly in slight anger, but hesitated to even try to say anything. Qrow turned around slowly, looking at her again, to her surprise.

"One last thing, and this pertains to you." He says. Summer looked at him in slight confusion.

"Y-Yes?" She said slowly.

Qrow points to his eyes with a single finger while still looking at her.

"I know you have a rare 'Gift' with those silver eyes of yours Summer, with the things I know of now, do me a favor… be careful." He said sternly to her.

"I-uh" She started, looking away from him to think of the words to say for a moment. Before she could even shift her gaze back toward him, he was gone. A black feather can be seen slowly falling to the ground. She pouted softly, looking at the feather as it hit the ground.

"Never one for a proper goodbye." She said to herself, closing the door and locking it.

She slowly starts to make her way upstairs again, Qrows question echoing in her head. 'How long?'... 'How long?'... She pauses on the middle step.

"How long?" She says softly.

She continues up the stairs, then slowly walking into Yangs room, the toddler still sleeping soundly. She walks up the Yangs crib, leaning on to one of the railings to look at her while she sleeps.

"You poor little angel." she says to her softly, reaching into the crib to stroke Yangs hair comfortingly.

"I promise you, I will always be here for you, and your father." She starts to say.

"Your, father…" she pauses.

'How long?'... 'How Long?' still echoing in her head.

"Can I… tell you a secret?" She whispered.

"I mean, you can't tell anyone, you're asleep… and, you can't talk anyway... so it's perfect." She jokes softly, trying to not raise her voice to much.

"I care about your father so much, more than I think he even realizes. I'd do anything for him. I feel as if my heart is conflicted in a way I can not explain. As if he broke it without even doing so, and the only way it makes me feel better is to be there for him. Be around him." she pauses for a moment.

"I feel, so much... hatred… toward your mother, but more… toward myself. I could have, no, should have told him how I felt about him.. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything to him, out of fear… fear of rejection, making it awkward, and… nevermind... not that it mattered… he favored your mother anyway." She says, pausing again. She slowly and gently grabs one of Yangs hands. The sleeping toddler instinctively grips Summers hand.

"I just want you to know, I love you as if you are my own. And-and even if your father doesn't feel the same way about me, I love him too." She says. A wave of emotions runs through her as she uttered those words out loud.

"I… Love him too?" she questioned herself. She shakes her head quickly as if to get rid of the thoughts. She slowly lets go of Yangs hand, leaning in the crib to kiss her on the forehead.

"I'll let you sleep a bit longer, I'll go bake us some cookies and start to get dinner ready for us, and your father." she whispered. She gets back up to a standing position.

"But first, I REALLY need to use the bathroom." she said to herself, then quickly but quietly leaving the room to make her way to the bathroom across the hall.

She tries to flick the light switch, but the light wont turn on. She flicks it multiple times in vain, but the windowless bathroom would not illuminate. She lets out a drawn out sigh.

"Qrow…" She said shaking her head with a small smirk.

Qrows words echoed in her head again.

'How long?'

'How long?'

"Long enough, Qrow…" She said to herself softly.

~End of Part Three~


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